50

50 – French tenor Georges Thill (1897-1984) at home, rehearsing at the piano, Paris, 1930. His golden-toned voice and commanding presence were unmatched.

Unarguably the most perfect lyric tenor voice of the 20th century and a sense of self-esteem commensurate with his talent. He always wanted to “have it his own way”, causing heated reactions among conductors and colleagues. He left a recording legacy.